


Unusual friendship

by Ilyasviel



Category: Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Fluff and Smut, Love Confessions, M/M, Sex
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-24
Updated: 2017-06-26
Packaged: 2018-11-18 15:50:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,585
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11293842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ilyasviel/pseuds/Ilyasviel
Summary: Dorian has fall head over toes for the Commander, but the man sees him only as a friend... or that is what the 'vint thinks.-------------------------------My characters tend to be extra sweet, maybe non-canon personalities, but is how I imagine them. For me, Cullen is a very sweet and loving person, and Dorian is even worse, using his sense of humour and the 'peacock attitude' to put some distance between him and whoever who can hurt him.  No beta reading!





	1. Chess and Wine

**Author's Note:**

> I don't have beta reader and English is not my first language, so be nice with my war against your grammar :P
> 
> Let me know what you think about the story. I wrote it in a rush, the idea has been poking inside my brain for weeks and I need to put it on words, I can concentrate on the rest of my works with this one on the background screaming to me.
> 
> Is my second M/M fic, I hope I don't offend anyone with it >_< I try my best, but obviously, I'm a girl, didn't know what I'm talking about on first person hahahaha
> 
> See the end notes for details about the Tevene words and the Chess movements ;)

The sun is setting behind the mountains, long shadows starting to cover the garden of Skyhold. Not a single soul is roaming the area, even the Chantry sisters are inside, doing their evening prayers. Dorian takes a look around, casting a little orb of light. “Well Commander, I think we will need to postpone our rematch or move our little party to another place. It seems like we’ve been sitting here for hours!”

Cullen moves a hand to his neck, in a gesture that always makes Dorian’s heart jump inside his chest. “Yeah. Maybe we can continue tomorrow. I distracted you almost all the evening, and you have a lot of work to do.”

Dorian starts to put the chess pieces inside the wooden box, “Don’t be silly, Rutherford. I needed the distraction, almost as much as you. Is not every day that we can take a break without thinking that the sky will explode again or a crazy old Tevinter can unleash his army against us. Let me enjoy it for as long as I can.” The part where he thinks about expending time with him remains inside his head. Is painful enough to fall in love with a man who didn’t want you, no need to let him know about it to give him the weapons to hurt you even more.

Cullen nods, helping him to store the rest of the pieces. “We can continue the evening on my tower if you want. I have a chessboard there, Lavellan bought it for me at Val Royeaux.”

“Add some wine and food, and you have a deal, Commander. Prepare yourself, the next will be mine.” With a movement of his wrist, Dorian makes the orb of light disappear. The darkness around them has grown while they talked. Pushing the chair back, Dorian stands up, moving outside of the gazebo with all the care he can. 

When he is almost outside it, Cullen collides with him from behind, his arm wrapping his waist to stop his falling. “Sorry, Dorian. Did I hurt you?”

Dorian closes his eyes, memorising the feeling of Cullen's body against and after a few heartbeats, he sighs softly. “No worries, Commander. I suffered worse fates than being hit by a handsome ex-Templar.” His irony always gives him an extra layer of protection and gives the rest a way out if needed. 

Cullen let him go, retaking a step. “Maybe it will be a good idea to light one of your orbs, at least until we leave the garden.”

A little ball of light appears near Dorian's head, lighting the area around them softly. “Come on, Commander. Let's go before one of the Chantry sisters starts to chastise me for using magic against you.”

The Commander takes a long step to put himself beside Dorian before he starts walking to the main hall door. “They still pester you? I can't believe the close mind one has to have to think ill of you after all you have done.”

They reach the passage that leads to the door and Dorian ends the spell, the light of the torches on the corners of the hallway gives enough light to find the door without tripping. “Then the Inquisition is full of closed minded persons, my friend. But don't worry about me. I learned to ignore them, and after your last intervention, no one has harassed me, at least physically.”

Cullen's lips are pressed into a tight line, displeasure clearly over his face, even in the little light of the area. Dorian just shrugs, giving him a pat on the arm when he opens the door to the main hall. When they cross the second one, they find the room almost empty. Some nobles and soldiers are eating around the long tables, and Varric is sitting in his usual spot near the fireplace, reading and taking notes. He raised his head when he heard the steps move closer to him. “Good evening, Curly, Sparkles. The match has been a long one, right? How many cheating did you let him make this time, Curly?” A soft chuckle leaves the Commander, and Varric looks very pleased with it. “Keep going then, don't let this boring dwarf distract you from the fun, I have to read another dozen of reports of my investments on Kirkwall. So much fun for a lovely night like this!”

Dorian passes by his side, stopping in front of the door to the rotunda. “Try not to bore yourself to death. The Chargers will be unbearable without you stealing his gold almost every night.”

The sound of Varric’s laugh accompanies them inside the rotunda. The area is quiet; is dark enough for the crows to be sleeping and only Helisma is still working on the Library. Even the rotunda is empty, Solas’ desk lacks a bald and stiff elf. Cullen walks directly to the door that leads to his tower, but Dorian stops in the middle of the rotunda. “Commander, I got a couple of antivan wine bottles in my room, we can share them if you want. Maybe with some wine on your system I can even beat you.”

Cullen’s smile is so bright that Dorian feels his inside melting but remains with a neutral face. He has never been grateful about the strict formation he received as a child to not let his thoughts show on his face, until now. The blonde nods to him, “Do you need help?”

“I think I can handle it, Commander.”

With a shrug, Cullen gives him his back again, opening the door. “Don't be late, or the siren song of my paperwork will kidnap me again.”

Dorian is already moving to the stairs that lead to the Library. “Get the board ready. I'll be there before you end with it.” He climbs the stairs two at a time, knowing that Cullen is right about the danger of his paperwork distracting him. He waves to Helisma when he crosses the floor on his way to the side door that leads to the dorms. The area Vivienne has reclaimed for herself is empty. The First Enchanter is travelling with the Inquisitor this time, together with Cassandra, Bull, Josephine and Leliana. The mission was more a meeting than a real adventure. Some noble family from Val Royeaux offered their support if the Inquisition helps them with a bandit problem on their lands. They even organised a great ball to celebrate the victory, alas the presence of the Lady Ambassador and the two hands of the Divine. Walking as swiftly as possible without running, he reaches his room, taking a moment to change his armour for a more comfortable (and sexier) tunic. He puts on some cologne and brushes his hair and moustache to perfection. With a nod to his reflection, Dorian returns to his wardrobe and recovers the box where he stores his private stash of wine and liquors, picking a couple of Antivan red and a sweet cherry from Tevinter. The moment he leaves the room, his mind forms a good idea. _‘I'm alone, no one will think I'm casting something dangerous, and can use the extra time I will win.’_ Dorian leaves the energy of the Fade fill him, taking the quantity enough to make what he wants to do. When the magical energy is creeping on his right hand, he fixes the bottles firmly against his chest with his right arm, before taking a Fade step to the door. He repeats the feat to reach the Library door, opening it and looking inside. He can't see Helisma anywhere nearby. Moving closer to the railway, he takes another Fade step that leads him near the couch of Solas’ office. Starting to go to the door, he leaves the remaining energy fade from his body. The cold wind of the night makes goosebumps rise on his skin as soon as he opens the outside door. With a soft shiver, Dorian takes a step outside, closing the door behind him. The few meters of the passage to Cullen’s tower always fills him with a dread feeling. He wants to be there, with him, as a friend, because his friendship is something he didn't plan but welcome it anyway. No one has treated him with this kindness and sincerity, waiting for nothing from him but his friendship and company. But at the same time, this same sentiment has made him fall head over heels for him. He feels awkward sometimes when something he says or does remembers him of a heated dream or one of his hundreds of fantasies. Dorian can't blame Cullen; he never did a single thing that gave him any hint of his interest in him, they are just friends. He likes to think that they are good friends, the first he had since Felix. When Dorian’s mind stops running in circles about the topic, he has reached the door. Raising a hand, he knocks three times, waiting for an answer. When no one answers, he tries again, starting to be afraid that the Commander has been dragged to the War Room when he was changing his clothes. With a sigh, he attempts to knock another time with the same result. Dorian's gaze falls to the ground, hand resting against his tight. He turns over his heels to leave, taking quick steps to return to his corner at the Library. He is already planning a night of hard drinking and trying to erase the painful feeling of rejection he is nursing right now. 

Just before he reaches the rotunda’s door, the one from the tower opens in a hurry. “Dorian! Wait! Come back, please!”

Dorian takes a look over his shoulder, only to find Cullen's shirtless body filling the door frame. The light of the candles behind him gives his form a golden halo. The image is already burning with fire on Dorian's mind. Closing the distance to Cullen at a slow pace, the mage stops at arms distance from him. Still avoiding to look into his eyes, he changes the position of the bottles on his arms. “I will understand if you need to return to your work, Commander.”

Cullen’s hand is again on his neck, and Dorian can stop himself to take a look at his body, memorising the shape of every muscle for later use. “No, please, come in. I was just cleaning myself. I even stored the reports inside a drawer. It just us, your wine and a chessboard for as long as you want to play.”

Dorian closes his eyes for a second, _‘If that were for real, I would never leave your tower.’_ Opening them again, he gives Cullen the bottles of wine, “I brought a sweet sherry from my homeland. I need to refine your barbaric tastes.”

Cullen just arches a brow, shaking his head when Dorian crosses the threshold. Closing the door behind him, the Commander moves to the desk to put down the bottles. “I’ll go up to pick up a tunic. Make yourself at home. I’ll be back in a moment.”

Letting his gaze follow Cullen’s form climb the ladder, Dorian moves to the desk as soon as the Commander disappears into the upper floor. The chessboard is ready over the table, one of the chairs transferred to a side of the desk to let them play more comfortably. A tray full of fruit, dry meat and bread lays on the other end of the desk, together with a set of glasses. He distracts himself from thinking about a semi-nude Cullen upstairs by opening one of the wine bottles. Before he can start to serve the burgundy liquid on the glasses, the sound of the ladder cracking announces the return of the Commander. Dorian takes a quick look over his shoulder, seeing that the blonde has put on a simple line tunic, leaving it unlaced almost all the way down. _‘Marvelous. And they say I’m the one who always cheats while playing.’_ Returning his attention to the wine, Dorian serves them a good shot of it, corking the bottle again before passing one of the glasses to Cullen.

“Thanks. Take a seat. The night is young, and for once we have the chance to enjoy it.”

Sitting in the chair on the side of the desk, Dorian takes a sip from his wine, letting the liquid warm inside his mouth before swallowing it. “Maybe if I can get you drunk enough I can win honestly this time.” When Cullen takes a sip of his glass, he moans softly at the flavour. Dorian is very grateful for his dark skin, knowing that he must be blushing as an answer to the sound. The Commander seems unaware of his reactions, as always, and Dorian didn’t know if he has to be grateful for it or swear to the Maker for his blindness. His long years at Tevinter help him to go on without giving away his thoughts. “I see you approve of my choice of poison. Your move, Commander.” 

With a soft smile, Cullen takes another sip before putting on the glass on the table and moving his king’s pawn to E4. “Let’s see if you can match the quality of your wine with the one of your strategy.”

Taking a sip too, Dorian rest the glass on the armrest of his chair before moving one of his pawns to C6. “Don’t worry, Commander. I’ll refrain to cheat until you are drunk enough not to see it.”

“Good to know.” Before making his move, Cullen reaches for the tray, dragging it near them and picking a piece of fruit. His right hand is pulling the queen pawn and moving it to D4.

Dorian mimics him, choosing an orange’s section. The contrast of the flavour of the wine and the citric makes him close his eyes for a moment. It has been ages since he can enjoy the simple pleasures of wine-pairing. Sucking the juice of the fruit from his fingers, he wipes them on a napkin before moving one of his pawns to D4.

The play in companionable silence for a while. They exchanged pawns, Cullen moves his bishop and Dorian his knight. A couple of movements later, the Commander chuckles softly, sipping from his glass. “A Rivalto Defense? You never cease to amaze me, Dorian.”

The mage just shrugs, making a castle queenside, “Good. Being predictable will decrease my appeal.”

Cullen leans on his knees in the middle of the game, clearly enjoying the match and meeting every clever move Dorian does with one of his own. At last, only his king and the royal pair of Dorian remains on the table. Dorian’s happy grin makes Cullen smile to him, even knowing that the game is already over for him. “My dear Commander, it looks like a stalemate for me, what do you say?”

The Commander nods, moving to lay down the two kings on the chessboard. “It is. Well played, Dorian. Is the first time I see you play by the rules and you almost got me.”

Dorian attacks the bowl of blackberries, “The wine makes you sloppier, my friend.”

Cullen starts to get the chessboard ready again while Dorian pours more wine on the glasses. The first bottle is already empty, and they are starting the second one. “Try to eat some citric before you drink your wine, Rutherford. You will enjoy one of the magical gifts of the Maker.”

Cullen ends preparing the chessboard, picking an orange section as Dorian suggested. After munching the fruit happily, he takes a sip of his wine, moaning when the contrast of the flavours overwhelms his tongue. Dorian grabs the armrest with force, the sound of Cullen's voice making him twist his fingers, and he didn't want the Commander sees how affected he is. 

Turning the chessboard on the table, Cullen puts the white pieces in front of Dorian. “Wanna try playing with white this time?”

“My, oh my! Commander! Feeling threatened enough to change colours?”

Shaking his head with a grin on his face, Cullen takes another sip before putting down the glass on the table. “Maybe I want to test if you can beat me in my own game, Lord Pavus.”

Moving his slender fingers to pick up the queen’s pawn, moving it to D4. “Let's see what I can do.”

They played in silence for a long while, the only sound inside the tower was the one from the chess pieces and the glasses hitting the table from time to time. 

Dorian makes a bold move, sacrificing a bishop to force Cullen's queen to move. With a big grin on his face, Dorian moves his queen. “Check, Commander.”

Cullen moves a knight to defend the king. “Well played, Dorian. Is strange playing with you without joking about everything? Are you tired? We can stop whenever you want, don't push yourself on my account.”

With the remaining bishop, Dorian eats one of the black towers, let unprotected when the knight moved to save the king. “No, don't worry. I'm not tired precisely.” When he takes the last sip of his wine, he sees the bottle is empty. “Do you have clean glasses for the sherry?”

The Commander seems to ponder his answer, the fingers of one of his hands playing with the hem of his tunic. “Sure. They are upstairs, in the cabinet. Suit yourself. I need to think about my next move, carefully.”

Dorian raises slowly from the chair; the wine is taking its toll on him, and he has to lean on the backrest to steady himself. “If I fall from your ladder, tell the rest I did it with style.”

Cullen laughs softly, and shoo him away with his hand. “Don't worry. I'll give you a dramatic end. No one will hear from me that you landed on your ass or something like that.”

When Dorian closes the distance to the ladder, his heart starts to beat loudly. _‘This is not how I dreamed of visiting his quarters, but beggars can be choosers.’_ Taking a good hold of the ladder steps, Dorian starts to climb it. The room upstairs is dark, the only light on it is the one that filters inside from a hole in the roof. With a movement of his hand, Dorian conjures a ball of light and takes a look around the room. _‘Austere and very practical, just how I imagined it.’_ On the right corner of the room rest his armour and the coat he usually wears over it. He moves closer to it, letting his fingers caress the engraved details; he never got to see the chest plate without the coat hiding it from his inquisitive eyes. The coat is the next thing that catches his attention; he let his fingers get lost inside the furry part. ‘Is even softer than it looks.’

Dorian was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't listen the crack of the ladder until a cough from behind him reveals a grinning Cullen leaning against the wall. “Sorry, Commander, your armour distracted me.”

Cullen closes the distance between them, picking up the coat and putting it on. Dorian sees the grin is still on his face when he takes Dorian’s hand and guides it to his neck. His palm rest on the soft piece of animal skin, but his fingers… Cullen has put them directly against his nape. “I'm sure we can think of something more appealing to distract you, Lord Pavus.”

The words leave Dorian shivering, fingers trembling against the Commander’s skin. “I must have lost my consciousness. You had to be another demon trying to take me, like the rest of the nights.”

Moving his arms around Dorian, Cullen wraps his right arm around his waist. “I see I'm not the only one tempted by them. But no, I'm not a demon, let me prove it.” Dorian sees him closing his eyes, and then an aura of power surrounds him, and he feels how all his mana is drained from his body. The ball of lights disappears, and he faints a bit, which makes him rest even more into Cullen’s body. When Dorian recovers the ability to think and talk, he finds himself wrapped between Cullen's arms and his head resting on his shoulder, the soft skin tickling his face. When he stirs, Cullen relaxed the grip on him but didn't let him go. “Sorry, I have forgotten how disturbing it can be for a mage.”

Pushing against the Commander’s chest, Dorian forces him to let him go, and he takes a couple of steps until his back is resting on the wall. “I’m not in the mood for a joke, Rutherford. I’ll leave the tower as soon as I can walk alone and I’ll be grateful if we don’t talk about.”

Cullen sighs but didn't answer him. Dorian can hear him moving around the room, and after some thrashing inside a cabinet, the soft light of a match shines over his face. He lights on some candles that lay over a barrel on a corner, and taking one in his hands, he moves closer to the bed and lights the few candles he has on the nightstand. He turns to face Dorian, taking off the coat and letting it fall over the bed. “Dorian. We have spent together the past eight months. Do you really think I can joke about something like that? Do you believe I can make fun of you like this?”

Dorian lowers his gaze, little shivers running across his body from time to time when the mana starts to return to him, slowly but surely. “It is easier than believe that you truly mean it.”

Moving a little bit closer, Cullen remains at arm’s distance from him. “Why? I know I’m not an obvious person, but--” He passes his hand over his faces, rubbing his eyes while sighing. “Maker, Dorian. I’m trying to say that I care for you.”

Sliding against the wall until he sits on the floor, Dorian growls while hitting his head against the wall. “No one cares for me. Besides, you already had the Inquisitor. What is Ellana for you, a pastime?” 

Cullen returns to the bed and sits on it, “Of course not, Dorian. We are friends, she is very special to me, but I can’t feel for her what she wants from me. I talked to her about it. I even asked for her help about how to talk to you. Seriously, do you believe I’m that kind of person?”

His head hits the wall again, with enough force to startle Cullen. “No, I don’t. But I can’t believe what is happening. I dreamed of this for months, fighting against demons who tried to lure me with your flesh and voice. I just-- I can’t believe it is real.”

Standing again, Cullen walks until he is in front of Dorian, kneeling and taking his hands between his. “How can I prove it? How can I show you that this is true?”

His words make Dorian looks directly into his eyes, what he finds in them is something he didn’t saw directed at him before, desire mixed with fondness. “You can swear in Andraste’s name that you are not playing with me and that is not the wine talking?”

“Dorian, I swear it by my life and heart. Maker’s breath, I swear it over my faith and the remaining honour I still have.” The last words are still echoing on the room walls when Dorian launches himself against Cullen, wrapping his arms around his neck. The movement throw of balance the Commander, and they end on the floor. Cullen moves a loving hand to his head, his fingers playing with the long locks of hair while his thumb draws circles behind his ear. “I got you, Dorian. I will take care of you for as long as you want me.”

Less than a heartbeat later of his last word, Cullen has his hands full of Dorian when the mage wraps his arms around his neck and shoulders. “Venhedis, Cullen, Festis bei umo canavarum.” With a sigh, he makes himself comfortable over Cullen's chest, head tucked under his chin. “If this is a dream, please, don't wake me up, I'm tired of fighting against it.”

Cullen's strong arms hold him, hands drawing random forms over his back. “We are not dreaming, Dorian. And I'll do my best to show you, but not now. The first time I’ll kiss you I want it to be without the fog of the alcohol in our brains.” Dorian starts to disentangle himself from Cullen's arms, but the Commander has other plans. “Do you want to sleep with me? I will understand if you prefer to return to your room.”

Something swells inside Dorian's chest, and he closes his eyes for a moment, enjoying the feeling of this handsome and kind man below him, asking him to sleep, only sleep. He never shared a bed without sex intentions. He never dared to hope to find someone who wants him all day long, not only when they are fighting in the sheets. “I do, the wanting part of course, but you have a hole in your roof and is pretty cold here.”

Cullen’s sweet smile is something to carve in marble, so perfect and lovely, and Dorian knows that only a few people have seen this side of the mighty Commander of the Inquisition. “I can keep you warm, but we can move to your room. I only ask for a chance to wake up at your side.”

Dorian hides his blushing face in the crook of his neck, whispering softly. “I’ll be glad to have you in my bed, Cullen. Are you sure you want to be seen leaving my quarters in the morning?”

A small chuckle makes Dorian looks to the Commander’s face. “My dear Pavus, I want to kiss you in the battlements, where everyone can see us. I want to take your hand while we walk side by side in the garden. I want to sit by your side in the great hall and claim you like my partner in front of half Orlais. Don’t even think for a moment that I want to hide whatever happens between us.”

Closing his eyes, Dorian can’t fight the single tear he shreds, and when Cullen’s thumbs wipe it from his cheek, he feels overwhelmed by the feeling. Taking a long and profound breath, he pushes himself to a kneeling position between Cullen’s leg. “Then let's get moving before I make a fool of myself even more.”

Cullen sits in front of him, kissing his forehead before standing and helping him. “Let me get some clean clothes, and I’ll be ready.” Dorian moves closer to the ladder, seeing the Commander walk around the room, picking sleeping robes and a clean tunic and underwear for the next day. Cullen starts to blow up the candles until the only light they have is the one from the moonlight. With a movement of his fingers, Dorian cast the ball of light, helping Cullen to move around the room without bumping into anything. Leaving the magic sphere upstairs, Dorian starts to move down the ladder, followed closely by the Commander. Before they reach the door, Cullen returns to the desk, writing a note for the scouts who will come looking for him in the morning. “I’ll let them know that I’m in your room. Can’t disappear altogether in case we have an emergency.” The blush comes back to Dorian’s face. Knowing that he isn’t ashamed of letting the rest of Skyhold know about them, even when they are nothing more than friends yet, is doing something to his heart.

When they are ready, Cullen opens the door, and Dorian makes a quick movement of his hand to blow up the candles inside the tower. He feels Cullen shivering to the touch of the Fade, “I’m sorry, I need to remember that not everyone feels comfortable around magical displays. I’ll try to behave myself.”

Shaking his head, Cullen grabs his hand and starts walking to the rotunda. “No. Your magic is part of who you are, and I know you will never hurt me with it. I trust you.” Knowing what Dorian know about the Commander's past, he can only feel happy knowing he is comfortable enough around him to forget his uneasiness around magic. 

 

Once inside the rotunda, they walk to the dorms area in silence, enjoying the feel of their joined hand. They reached Vivienne's room without crossing paths with anyone. Is late enough for the rest of the Keep to be sleeping or spending their time at the tavern. Dorian opens the door to the passage that leads to the rooms, and they bump into Varric when he tries to leave the area. 

“Hey, Sparkles.” Just then Cullen appears beside Dorian, and the dwarf let his gaze move over them with a raised brow. When he sees their joined hands, he chuckled, and Dorian starts to blush again, his mind already working in a way to avoid the teasing. But Varric surprises him, stepping aside with a grin on his face. “About time! Enjoy the rest of the night. I’ll be on my way, forgetting entirely about this moment until you want me to remember it.” 

Walking beside him, Cullen is the one who answers him while Dorian is still absorbing his words. “Much appreciated, Varric. Have fun at the Herald’s Rest.”

With a chuckle, Varric moves to leave the area, putting his head out before closing the door, “You too. Try not to break Sparkles. I ended up liking him.”

The rest of the way to Dorian’s quarters is even tenser than before, the mage slightly shivering when he opens the door. Cullen enters the room and waits for Dorian to close the door before closing the latch and wrapping his arms around the mage. When he didn’t return the gesture, the Commander let him go and moves his hands to cup his face, making him look into his eyes. “Dorian, I can go if you don’t want this. We don’t have to rush it. I can wait for you.”

With a sigh, Dorian closes his eyes but leans against one of his hands. “No, please, don’t go. I want it, but from where I am, this kind of things belong to the realm of dreams. I learned not to pursue, don’t wait for it.”

Kissing his forehead again, Cullen moves his free hand to Dorian’s back, moving up and down in a soothing motion. “I want the full package, Dorian. I want to sleep in your arms. I want to wake you up with a kiss. I want to see you groom yourself as much as I want to see you dishevelled. I know is not what you can get on Tevinter, but you are not there anymore. Can you try to enjoy the barbaric costumes of the south?”

Leaning against him, Dorian circles his waist with his arms, “Maker, Cullen. Where did you hide this side of you all this time?”

Cullen chuckles, kissing his temple, “Maybe I have spent more time than can be appropriate with our dear Seeker and her love for romance has rubbed on me, but I mean every word, Dorian.” The mage tightens his grasp, making Cullen giggle. “Let's go to bed. I want to cuddle with you all night long.”

Dorian steps back, reluctantly, sitting on the bed to untie his boots while Cullen does the same on a chair beside the blazing hearth. The clothes the Commander brought with him lay behind him, and he stands and takes off his tunic before picking his sleeping robes. Dorian got completely distracted when the chest of the Commander is revealed to him, and when Cullen unties his breeches and let them fall to the floor, the gasp that leaves the mage makes him smile. Picking up the soft shirt he uses to sleep, he puts it on, covering his chest and part of his legs with it. Folding his tunic and trousers carefully, he turns to face Dorian, who is still fumbling with his boots. Cullen kneels in front of him and pushes aside his hands to do it himself. When the laces are open, he loosens them and takes off the boots from Dorian’s feet. Cullen stands and moves to put their shoes near the door before returning to the bed and helping him to take off his tunic. When the Commander sees, at last, his bare chest, Dorian can see the blush covering his face and neck. He stands, his chest in level with Cullen’s, while he works on the, fastens of his trousers and let them fall to the floor. The blush only deepens when he sits back on the bed, kicking the piece of clothing to the other side of the room before recovering a shirt from under a pillow. When he puts the shirt on, Cullen moves to the other end of the bed, and when Dorian stands, they pull the bedsheets back before slipping inside of it and covering their bodies with the sheets.

They remain there, face to face at arm’s distance, looking to one another with a soft smile on their faces. After some minutes, Cullen moves a hand to push Dorian against him, enjoying the giggle that leaves the mage. He puts one of his legs between Dorian’s and wraps an arm around his back, fixing his head in his chest. With a loving kiss on his head, Cullen closes his eyes. “Good night, Dorian.”

The mage kisses his neck before wrapping his arm around Cullen, “Good night, Cullen.”

They fall asleep in minutes, the beating of their hearts a steady rhythm that strangely for them beats in unison. 


	2. Sweet confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I love this two <3 Is still hard to me to write M/M, and my characters ended being so sweet that I need some insuline after writing the fics, but Maker... they are SOOO CUTE that I can't fight it :P
> 
> Some smutt with a lot of love.
> 
> Again, no beta reader and my english can be hard to read, but I try my best ;) enjoy the sweet love of Cullrian!!

The caress of a thumb on his cheek wakes Dorian. He can’t tell the reason, but he feels rested and very comfortable, warm for the first time since he arrived at Ferelden. The finger returned, touching the beauty mark lovingly under his eye. With a happy sigh, Dorian opens his eyes to find a smiling Cullen, who seems to be the owner of the thumb. 

“Good morning, Dorian. I can say without any doubt that it has been one of the best nights I got on years.”

The fog of the Fade starts to dissipate from Dorian’s brain, but he can only smile at Cullen’s words. “Same here, Cullen. First time I feel warm in the morning in months.”

“I told you that I would keep you warm, Dorian.” His hands move to his neck, moving up and down between his ear and his shoulder. “Do you still want me here, now that the sun is rising?”

Dorian’s heart stops beating for a moment, the fragility of his words piercing his heart even more than the soft touch of his fingers. “Of course I want you.” The lopsided grin that makes Cullen knees tremble comes back to his face. “Don’t make me beg for the kiss you promised me, Commander.”

A heartbeat later, Dorian is pinned against the pillow by a very effusive Cullen. He starts slowly, just a soft touch of their lips, the Commander giggling softly when Dorian’s moustache tickles him. Soon the kiss starts to gain passion, until at last Cullen’s tongue touched Dorian’s lips and he moans, opening his mouth to welcome it. They kiss like a starved man tasting food for the first time in weeks. 

Cullen breaks the kiss, leaning against his forehead, breathing hard. “Maker, Dorian. No demon can compare to you.”

Dorian's hand move to cup his face, thumb tracing his lower lip. “Nothing the demons showed me come closer to reality.”

The Commander changes his posture to lean on his left elbow, moving his free hand to capture one of Dorian’s, kissing his fingertips before resting the joined hands over his chest. “In one of my chats with Cassandra about us, she said me that we complement one another. It was a beautiful thought and one that I cherished since then. You are like my negative. I’m blonde where you are dark. I’m pale, and your skin is like dark chocolate. My eyes are golden, and yours are silver. Looking at you, talking to you about anything, just serves to make me think of her words. You are like a lost half of me. Never felt as whole as I felt right now, with you in my arms.” For a moment, Dorian forgets how to breathe, heart drumming out of control. He feels a shiver run down his spine. The overwhelming feeling is making him gasp. His vision starts to blur when he can’t stop the tears. Cullen kisses the trail of them when they fall to the pillow. “Don’t cry, Dorian. Please…”

Closing his eyes, Dorian takes a deep breath, squeezing the Commander’s hand. “I was raised to never expect for love; even my parents gave me their affection in dribs and drabs.” Opening his eyes, he finds Cullen with a sad frown on his face, eyes shut, listening to him. “I learned to protect myself against the pain. The prospect of living all my life without knowing how it will be to be loved and worshipped was a sad one, but I just convinced myself that it was an impossible dream and just give up on it. Your words are destroying the high walls I constructed around my heart.”

Cullen’s mouth twitches a bit, the scar over his lips moving when the line of his lips change to a soft smile. “I will take care of you for as long as you want me. I will show you the beauty of lo-- having someone who cares deeply about you.”

Dorian has to laugh to his stutter, “My dear Cullen, I think that after our little confessions, we can say aloud the L capital word without scare the other from the bed, don’t you think?”

The Commander’s face turned to a cute red colour when he blushes, and he tries to hide it moving to kiss Dorian’s neck. “Then I will say it. I will give you love enough to erase all the bad memories of your past. I will worship you like you deserve, not for being and Altus or the son of a Magister, but you, just you, Dorian.”

Those words are doing something inside Dorian. He feels a heat radiating from his chest, and immediately know that is not a sexual heat like he is accustomed, is something sweeter and new to him, but he welcomes the feeling with open arms. Moving his free hand to Cullen’s curls, he runs his fingers through his golden hair, pushing him closer until he can close their lips together in a sweet kiss. The kiss started slowly, but Dorian has other plans and starts to plunge his tongue inside Cullen’s mouth. A couple of minutes later, his hand starts to roam over the Commander’s back, lower and lower until he can slip them on the shirt, touching for the first time his skin. Cullen arches his back when the fingers start to follow the scars of his body. Dorian opens his legs and wraps them around Cullen’s, pushing him even more against himself. They share a moan when their erections touch, their smalls the only thing that separates them.

Since last night, Dorian has been feeling out of his comfort zone, but this, this he knows very well. “Let’s see how different and fulfilling the reality can be. Take me, Cullen, make me scream your name to the Maker. Fill me with your love and your body until I feel whole again.”

The groan that the Commander gives as an answer makes Dorian’s body react, his cock hardening even more. Cullen’s mouth returns to his original spot, kissing and biting and sucking. Resting his weight on one of his elbows, he let his free hand go down, touching Dorian’s chest over the shirt until he finds the hem and starts pulling it up. When the robe is pooled near his neck, Cullen breaks the kiss and sits back, helping Dorian to take off the shirt and doing the same with his. The mage is shivering, but can’t say if is because of the cold air of the morning or the touch of the man sitting between his legs. Cullen’s hands move to his thighs and start to go up, fingers touching every part of him he can reach, enjoying the feeling of the silky skin over the well-defined muscles. He lowers his face over his stomach, kissing and biting softly; the soft giggles Dorian is making just adds to his amusement. He starts to draw a trail of kisses, going up until he finds one dark nipple, lapping it and making Dorian’s back arch. Enjoying the reaction, Cullen starts to bite and lick the perk nipple, giving the same attention to his twin when the first is hard and swollen. The mage’s hand remains entangled in Cullen’s curls, not even trying to move him, only taking pleasure in the softness of his hair. Continuing with his travel up Dorian’s body, Cullen ends in his neck, biting softly where the neck meets the shoulder and making the mage gasp. He moves up again, the ear his next stops, and starts to kiss the skin around it, biting the earlobe and tracing the lines of it with the tip of his tongue. For when he ends his assault on Dorian’s ear, the mage is a shimmering mess, little moans escaping from his mouth and hips rutting against Cullen’s thigh. “Maker, you are so beautiful, Dorian.” He kisses him again, languidly this time, letting him catch his breath for a while. “Are you sure you want to continue? We can wait, I’m not going anywhere.”

“Cullen, if you don’t make love to me in the next minutes, I’m going to set your hair on fire.”

A chuckle precedes the movement of Cullen laying beside Dorian and pulling his body against his. They kiss for a long while, hands roaming over the nude torsos, fingers pinching and rubbing hardened nipples from time to time. At last, Cullen moves his hand down Dorian’s back, slipping it under the smalls and grasping a check of his ass, forcing their erections to clash again. He massages the well-defined muscles, letting his fingertips to caress his glory hole now and then. Dorian’s moans are growing in intensity, and Cullen’s cock reacts to it like he was touching him. Breaking the kiss, he leans his cheek against Dorian’s, whispering in his ear. “I’m going to make you feel so good that you will remember me every minute of the day when you are away from me, sitting in your fancy chair at the Library.”

“Maker, yes. Do it, make me yours.”

Something that reminds Dorian of the lion from which Cullen took his nickname leaves the ex-templar. A mix between a growl and a moan, while he moves to pin Dorian again against the bed. He starts to peel off the smalls from his body, kissing and biting his legs on his way down. “Do you have any oil? I don’t want to hurt you.”

Dorian feels like crying, even in the middle of the passion, he cares for him, he wants to make it right. “First drawer on the right nightstand.”

With a lopsided grin, Cullen moves up again, kissing him while he disentangles himself from him. Once done, he breaks the kiss and closes the distance to the nightstand, searching for the oil jar inside it. When he finds it, he pulls down his smalls and returns to his place between Dorian’s legs. He lays on his stomach, putting the jar beside the mage’s hip. The smile he wears makes Dorian’s knees turn into jelly, and when the Commander kisses the tip of his cock, his back arches like a bowstring, eyes rolling back inside his head. Cullen’s mouth starts to follow the side of Dorian’s cock, tongue tracing the veins around it and lips sucking softly on his way down. Once there, he takes each of his ball inside his mouth, lapping at them greedily while his hand massage his perineum. Dorian is starting to lose the ability to think, and when Cullen surrounds the tip of his cock with the heat of his mouth, he lost it completely. His vocabulary is reduced to some swearing in Tevene, the Maker’s name and Cullen’s, mixed with loudly moans. The Commander starts to fumble with the jar, mouth occupied on Dorian’s cock and making the manoeuvre of opening the jar a little bit harder than normal, but he has no plans to stop what he was doing. When at last he uncorks the small jar, he sinks his fingers into it, spreading out the oil around them before closing the cork again. Dorian’s cock is filling his mouth, the scent of his skin overwhelming Cullen’s senses and spiking his lust to unknown levels. He stops his ministrations for a moment, moving his oiled fingers to caress his hole, he wants to see his face. Dorian whimpers at the touch, the moans reaching new levels when he starts to push one of them inside. Cullen moves with care, at a slow pace, he starts to push the finger inside, enjoying every little shiver that he produces on Dorian’s body. When he feels the mage ready, Cullen takes his cock in his mouth again before adding a second finger to the first. Dorian’s hand move again to tangle his fingers in Cullen’s hair, but he didn’t force the movement of the older man. The grip on his curls turned almost painful when Cullen starts to scissor his fingers inside Dorian, making him moan even louder. A third finger joins the other two, and soon Cullen can taste the salty flavour of precum in Dorian’s cock. The hand on his head pulls him up, distracting him from his work. “I love your hair, my dear Cullen, but I will set it on fire if you don’t stop your teasing right now.”

With a chuckle and a last kiss to the tip of his cock, Cullen takes off his fingers from him, sitting back on his calves and picking up the jar again. He almost drops it when he risks a glance at Dorian’s face, and the look on his face makes a shiver run down his spine. His hair is a mess, raven feathers surrounding his face over the white linen of the pillow, eyes glazed with lust and his lips swollen from kissing and worrying his lower lip between his teeth. Taking a deep breath to steady his hands, he opens the jar again, coating his fingers with the scented oil and closing the cork, leaving it behind him. He fixes his gaze on Dorian’s face and can see the passion picking when he starts to pump his cock with the oil. The mage raises his hands, beckoning him to lay over him and Cullen complies, taking care not to crush him with his weight. Dorian’s hands guide his face to a long and hot kiss, tongues dancing midair before Cullen wins the battle and takes control of Dorian’s mouth.

Their shared moans gain intensity when Dorian moves to take Cullen’s cock on hand, caressing the hardness with a reverence that makes the Commander shiver and breaks the kiss, groaning when Dorian guides him to his hole while raising his hips. The two of them stops breathing as soon as the tip of Cullen’s dick enters Dorian’s. 

Cullen’s body is trembling with the effort of opening Dorian slowly, so slowly that the mage thinks that maybe he has conjured a time magic without thinking. The sensations are overwhelming. The feeling of being in a dream comes back, and everything is so perfect that it can’t be true. When the Commander is fully sheathed on him, he closes the distance and takes his mouth again, his clean hand tracing his body until he reaches his tight and moves it to circle his waist. “Maker, you feel so good. So perfect for me.”

Dorian whimpers at his words, the moment so magic it seems impossible that is happening to him. He needs some control of the experience, or he will die from happiness before the end of the day. “Let me ride you, Cullen.”

With renewed passion, Cullen kiss Dorian like he was the air he needs to live. Moving to a side, they roll until Cullen is laying on his back and Dorian is straddling his hips. Without breaking the kiss, the mage starts to draw circles with his hips, and their moans mingled in a single note of heated passion. Dorian disentangles himself from the kiss, pestering the Commander’s face with some cute kisses before starting to raise from his chest, Cullen’s hand moving until he stops on his hips. Dorian leans his hands on Cullen’s chest, using them as leverage to raise his body until just the tip of his dick remains inside, to fall in a quick movement a heartbeat later, maker the pair moan loudly. He did the trick several times more before Cullen can take it anymore and starts to pump in him with slow and controlled movements. Dorian almost scream when the first push of Cullen touches the perfect spot on his prostate, making him shiver in pleasure and fall back to his chest. The Commander uses his hands to keep his hips raised enough to pump in the perfect angle inside of him. 

Heated pleasure spreads from Dorian’s belly until all his body is sensitive, every knot of nerves of his body had a direct connection to his cock, and every push of Cullen is like a cut on his swollen heart. Never in his life has he been fucked so thoroughly and lovingly than today. Never has he felt the incoming release as a present, wrapped in Cullen’s form to be enjoyed. 

Cullen feels the spasm on Dorian’s inner walls, and making a quick movement, turns them to lay Dorian on his back, leaning his forehead on his while he keeps pumping inside of him with controlled movements. The mage turns to Tevene again, “Amatus, noli quaeso.”

With a soft kiss on his brow, Cullen smiles softly to him, “Not planning to stop right now, Amatus.” The word in Cullen’s tongue, and directed to him, pushes Dorian into the cliff of pleasure, his mind going numb while he sees stars behind his eyelids. Between the fog of his climax, he can feel Cullen thrusting inside him with more force than before for a couple of times, until he ends too, climaxing deep inside Dorian with a groan. As soon as the Commander recovers his breath, he leans and gives Dorian the sweetest kiss he never received. “Maker’s breath, Amatus, this was--”

With a sigh, the mage circles Cullen’s chest with his arms, hiding his face in the crook of his neck. “Yeah. That good.” 

Cullen's softening cock slips away from Dorian’s ass, gaining a soft moan for the two of them, followed by a giggle when they look in the other's eyes. “I need to clean you up, and for that, I need to leave the bed. I’ll be back in a moment. You are stuck with me, remember?”

Dorian let his arms fall to the bed, with a feigned pout, looking intently at the nude body that moves around his room, gathering items to clean him up without leaving the bed. He heated the water of the basin in the heart, choosing one of the bottles beside the mirror and letting fall some drops in the warm water. Opening a drawer under the mirror, he picks a couple of towels and returns to the bed, laying the washbasin in the nightstand and putting one of the towels inside the water. “Come here, Amatus, let me take care of you.”

Turning to face him, he let Cullen clean his body with the towel. He plants some kisses on his clean skin, making Dorian giggle when he touches a tickling area. “Cullen, you never told me that you talk Tevene.”

Cullen leans over his body to give him a soft kiss on the lips, before standing and cleaning himself quickly, putting aside the towels before returning to the bed. “You never asked. In fact, I learned it to gain access to the strategy books of your army. Whatever we thought of you as a country, your old army was one of the greatest on all Thedas.” He takes a moment to lay behind him, dragging him to wrap his arms around him and caging his legs between his. “What is more important for me, do you meant it? I know is too soon, but…” Dorian feels something crushing his very soul, almost like if it was being pulled of his body. When he remains in silence, Cullen hides his face on his dark hair. “Don't worry. I understand. Sorry for pushing you, Dorian.”

Dorian movement is so quick that he catches the Commander by surprise, turning in his arms and pinning him against the mattress. “Don't even think for a single second that I didn't mean my words. Maybe I hadn't planned for you to find it this early in our--- well I will risk calling it our relationship. But yes, you are my Amatus, my beloved, my heart.”

Cullen kisses him with so much love that Dorian wants to stop the time and live this moment for the rest of his life. Between soft kisses, Cullen call him sweet things, like ‘My love’ and ‘Amatus’, making him fall even harder for the handsome man he has caged between his arms. They fall asleep enjoying the feeling of their shared heat and naked skin. 

 

A long while later, Cullen awakes to someone knocking at their door. Moving with care to not wake up Dorian, he recovers a short from the floor and put it on, closing the distance to the door and opening it enough to look outside. Varric stands in front of it, with a big tray of food on his hands. “Hey, Curly! Good evening. When I didn't see you at breakfast and lunch time, I decided to bring you some food. You will need all your energy to deal with our dear Altus. Leliana sends her regards too, and Josephine gave me this letter for you. Take this and return inside, I saw enough of your legs for a lifetime!”

The dwarf passes him the tray with a big smile on his face, before turning back and leaving the hallway, waving to him over his shoulder. Cullen closes the door with his hip. His hands are full between the tray and the letter. Dorian is still sleeping peacefully, his locks falling lovingly over his forehead, the jewels on his ears catching the rays of light that pierced the windows. _‘Maker, I'm totally in love with this man.’_ With a soft smile, he strolls to the table in front of the heart, laying there the tray before sitting to read the letter.

 

_ ‘Dear Commander, _

_ We just returned from the mission and were very surprised not to find you waiting for us. But when one of our scouts passed us the note you let on your desk... Well, we can say that the Inquisitor and I understand it perfectly. Leliana only muttered ‘About time’. _

_ The mission was a success, and we don’t have any urgent matter on hand. We decided to give you some free days, we, of course, will seek you in the case of an emergency, but for now, you and Lord Pavus are on a vacation period for at least the rest of the week.  _

_ We are very happy for both of you, Cullen. _

_ Have fun! _

_ Ellana & Josi & Leliana’ _

 

Before he can put down the letter, Dorian’s chin leans on his shoulder, “Soooo, we have the chance to spend the next few days barred inside this room? I like the sound of that.”

Cullen turns enough to kiss the mage’s cheek, “Looks like, yes. Are you alright with them knowing about us? I know that you are a private person--”

Dorian silences him kissing his lips and moving to straddle him. “Amatus, if you are not ashamed of being seeing with the evil Magister, I will walk proudly around Skyhold knowing that my name is linked to yours.” 

The letter falls to the ground when Cullen takes him in his arm, kissing him with all the love he has. “Then I’m not planning to stay hidden in this tiny room when we have all Skyhold to discover again. I’m sure that even your little corner of the Library will look different, as much as my tower will be for me.”

Dorian chest is almost so full of love that his heart doesn't have enough room to beat in a normal rhythm. “I will be glad to take a walk beside you, but…” He moves to whisper in his ear, “I prefer to check if the Templar’s stamina is a legend or not, my dear Commander.”

Cullen chuckles, standing from the chair with a distraught Dorian. “Festis bei umo canavarum. Lets see what I can do to prove it to you, my dear Altus.”

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Venhedis, Cullen, Festis bei umo canavarum. --> Venhedis don't have a direct translate, is a swear word. You will be the death of me
> 
> Chess movements:  
> Rivalto Defense: Inspired in the Caro-Kann defence (a variation of the Sicilian Defense) --> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caro%E2%80%93Kann_Defence  
> Stalemate: When all the pieces from a player has no legal move to make (for example if you only have your King and all your movements end in a square where other pieces will 'eat' you.) --> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalemate


End file.
